Those skilled in the martial arts understand that the exercise of breaking boards helps the martial artist not only hone his or her skills and increase confidence, but also aids in building the strength necessary for delivering effective blows to an opponent or other target. Accordingly, it is common practice in the martial arts for one or two assistants to hold boards for breaking, while a practitioner takes aim and delivers a blow to the boards.
These exercises are also known to be dangerous and prone to causing injuries not only to the practitioner delivering the blow, but also possibly to the assistants holding the breaking boards. These injuries often occur when a blow is misdirected and lands on the fingers of the assistants holding the board, or on support equipment being used to hold the board. Injuries may also occur when the broken board does not readily clear away from the practitioner's fist, foot, or other body part employed in delivering the blow. For example, with certain types of board support equipment it is possible for the broken edges of the board to close back on the practitioner's fist or foot to thereby cause injury. Additionally, the typical assistant is able to hold approximately about three boards, so that when the breaking boards are held by an assistant, the number of boards to be broken by the practitioner is limited by the hand span of the assistant.